Coupling for rotatable elements



' P 1936- P. A. MANGER COUPLING FOR RQTATABLE ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 11, 1935 l l l I l I I I l I l l 1+ Sept. 22, 1936. P. A. MANGER; 2,055,014

COUPLING FOR ROTATABLE ELEMENTS Filed March 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E! y 7 F yd 7 12 4 E f 0% ya? if 1k XI x L74 4 4 A 124 722570.? fizza w Patented Sept. 22, 1936 COUPLING FOR ROTATABLE ELEMENTS Paul A. Manger, Eggertsville, N. Y., assignor to Farrel-Birmingham Company,

1110., Buffalo,

Application March 11, 1935, Serial No. 10,471

4 Claims.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in the double engagement gear tooth type of flexible couplings for rotatable elements which comprise a coupling sleeve or member pro- 5 vided with teeth or parts which intermesh or engage with complementary teeth or parts on the rotatable elements so as to positively transmit rotary motion from one element to the other, while nevertheless permitting relative movement be- 10 tween the coupling member and the coupled elements to allow limited axial adjustment and misalinement of said elements. The conventional couplings of this type comprise an outer coupling sleeve, usually made of separable parts, which it) surrounds the rotatable elements and is provided at one end with internal gear teeth meshing with external teeth on one element and at the opposite end with intemal gear teeth meshing with external teeth on the other element. The inter- 20 meshing teeth are formed to cause positive rotation of the sleeve with the rotatable elements while permitting limited rocking movement of the sleeve relative to the elements and axial adjustments of the elements.

One object of my invention is to provide a desirable and efficient flexible coupling of a novel, simple and compact construction.

Other objects of the invention are to produce a novel, flexible coupling giving certain improved 30 results and advantages, hereinafter appearing over previous couplings; also to produce a double engagement gear tooth coupling which is only approximately one-half of the length of conventional designs of couplings of this type; also to pro- 35 duce a double engagement gear tooth flexible coupling which allows misalinementand axial adjustment of the coupled elements while nevertheless maintaining the outer sleeve or casing of the coupling concentric or rigid with one of the re- 40 tatable elements; and also to provide a coupling having the other features of improvement and advantage hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: 45 Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation of a coupling embodying my invention and illustrating one application of the coupling.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, of a slightly modified embodiment of the invention, and illustrating a different application thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the coupling shown in II Fig. 3.

Referring first to the Figs. 1 and 2 embodiment of'the invention, It] and II represent two rotatable elements to be coupled together end to end and either of which may be the driving element. As shown, the element I consists of a shaft hav- 5 ing keyed or fixed thereon a gear wheel I2, and the other element II consists of a shaft having keyed or fixed thereon a wheel l3 provided with a hollow hub or sleeve I4 which may be rigidly attached to the wheel with an oil tight joint between the wheel and hub, as by bolts l5. This sleeve, which projects from one end of the wheel I3 surrounds the end of the shaft 10, and the wheel l2 thereon. The gear wheel I2 is provided with external gear teeth l6, and the sleeve M with internal gear teeth IT. A loose or floating coupling sleeve 18 surrounds the wheel I! of element In, between the same and the hub or sleeve ll, of the other element l l, and is provided at one end with internal gear teeth l9 which mesh with the external teeth l6 of the wheel l2, and at its opposite end with external gear teeth 20 which mesh with the internal teeth ll of the hub or sleeve 14. The interengagement of the teeth of the coupling sleeve l8 with the teeth of the wheel l2 and hub I4 causes the latter and the element ll, of which it is a rigid part, to rotate with the element ill, or positively transmits rotary motion from one rotatable element to the other. However, the intermeshing teeth are so formed, for example, the external teeth iii of the wheel [2 and the external teeth 20 of coupling sleeve I B being crowned or convexed longitudinally, that the coupling sleeve is adapted to rock or assume angular relationships to the two elements Ill and I I, thus allowing limited offset and angular misalinement of the two rotary elements. Since the wheel l2 and the outer sleeve M are respectively rigid with the shafts or elements I0 and II, they are integral parts of and may be considered as the coupled rotatable elements.

The outer sleeve 14 is shown as provided at its outer end with a cap or ring 2|, which may be secured in the sleeve as by swaging or turning the inner edge of the sleeve over the outer edge of the ring, and the ring 2| carries, at its inner periphery, a suitable packing ring 22 contacting with the hub of the wheel l2. The cap 2| .thus closes the outer end of the space between the wheel 12 and the outer sleeve I4 and forms a closed chamber for oil or lubricant for the intermeshing teeth of the coupling. Preferably theend of the coupling sleeve having the external teeth 20 is of smaller diameter than the opposite end of the sleeve, and the inner end of the outer a .large shaft.

sleeve or hub N is of sumcient internal diameter to allow the assembling and removal of the parts of the coupling through the inner end of the sleeve ll after detaching the latter from the wheel II.

By this embodiment of the invention, a small shaft or element can be coupled to a large element, such as a wheelor other member rigid with As shown, the overall diameter of the coupling in this construction is slightly larger than the diameter of the large shaft Ii, but manifestly the coupling .need not be any larger in diameter than the large shaft, and it may be even of smaller diameter than the large shaft. Obviously, the shaft ii to which the outer sleeve I4 is fixed could be larger or smaller without changing in any respect the form and dimensions of the coupling. Thus, by the described construction, a small shaft can be coupled to a large shaft with a coupling of very much smaller diameter than would be required in a coupling of the conventional design, in which the coupled shafts or elements both extend into or are surrounded by the coupling sleeve which is angularly movable relative to the coupled elements. Furthermore, since the loose coupling sleeve i8 receives or surrounds the smaller rotatable element I2 and in turn is located within the surrounding outer sleeve I4, the length of the coupling is greatly reduced and need only approximate the length of the centrally disposed smaller element, the length of the coupling being only approximately half that of the conventional coupling of equal capacity.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the coupling comprises members Ha, a and Ma, corresponding in function respectively with the members i2, I4 and IS in the construction above described. As before, one rotatable element consists of a gear wheel I2a fixed to or formed on the shaft I0 and provided with external gear teeth Ilia meshing with internal gear'teeth Illa in one end of the loose coupling sleeve iBa, which latter is provided at its opposite end with external gear teeth a meshing with internal teeth He in the outer sleeve Ma. The teeth i6a and 20a, as before, may be longitudinally crowned or convexed to allow the coupling sleeve iiia to rock or assume angular relations to the elements i0 and ii. In this embodiment of the coupling, the outer sleeve Ha is formed integrally with or fixed on a disk which constitutes one clutch member of a clutch, the cooperating clutch member of which is fixed to the other rotatable shaft or element i I, whereby one element can be caused to rotate with or allowed to rotate independently of the other element by the operation of the clutch. The clutch 26 shown is a pneumatic friction clutch of known construction in which the clutch disk 25 is positioned between opposing friction rings 21 and 28 carried by the clutch casing 29, which is keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft ii. The friction ring 21 is carried by the fixed end wall of the clutch casing, and the other friction ring 28 is carried by a disk 30 which is moved axially in the clutch casing by pneumatic pressure on the flexible clutch diaphragm 3i for gripping the disk 25 between theclutch rings 28 and 21. The clutch may be of any other suitable construction in which a clutch member 25 fixed to the outer clutch sleeve Ila is adapted to cooperate with a clutch member 29 fixed to the shaft II.

It is important in a clutch or analogous device of this sort that the clutch member 25 be always maintained in concentricity with and perpendicular to the axis of the element carrying the cooperating olutch member or members, and the flexible coupling. described ensures these results, notwithstanding that the axis of the element ill with which the member 25 rotates may be in off-- set or angular misalinement relative to the axis of the other element II and the cooperating clutch member or members. If the element It) to which the clutch member 25 is coupled is out of alinement with the other rotating element or clutch member, the floating coupling sleeve Illa will automatically shift or adjust itself angularly relative to the axes of said elements to compensate for the misalinement thereof, so that the outer sleeve a and clutch member 25 will always remain concentric with and perpendicular to the axis of the cooperating clutch member or members.

As shown, the central chamber of the outer coupling sleeve Ma is closed at its inner end by a disk 32 which is secured to the coupling sleeve, as by swagingor turning the inner edge of the sleeve over the peripheral edge of the disk 32, and the opposite end of the chamber is closed by an end plate or cap 33 which maybe bolted or otherwise secured to the coupling sleeve and carries at its inner periphery a suitable packing ring 34 surrounding and contacting with the hub of the wheel I 2a. The chamber of the outer coupling sleeve thus forms a tight receptacle for oil for lubricating the intermeshing gear teeth of the coupling. The parts of this coupling are removable through the outer end of the sleeve Ila when the end plate 33 is removed.

While the part 25 of this coupling is illustrated and described as one member of a. clutch, it will be apparent that this member 25 may be a member of a brake or other device which it is desired to maintain concentric with and perpendicular to the axis of the cooperating member of such brake or device.

In this construction, as in that first described, the floating sleeve of the coupling is arranged within or surrounded by one of the coupled rotating elements to which it is geared and, in turn, surrounds or receives the other rotatable element to which it is geared, so that both the length and diameter of the coupling are greatly reduced as compared with conventional double gear tooth couplings in which the floating coupling sleeve surrounds the two rotatable elements which it couples together. The overall diameter of the outer sleeve is in no wise dependent upon the diameter of the element to which it is attached, and the outer coupling sleeve may be either of smaller or larger diameter than its attached rotating element, which is not possible in previous constructions without greatly increasing the length of the coupling. In both of the constructions described the relation of the intermeshing teeth and associated parts is such as to also allow limited relative axial movement. or adjustment of the rotatable elements.

I claim as my invention:

1. A coupling comprising two rotatable elements, and a coupling sleeve movable relatively to both said elements and having external gear teeth meshing with the internal gear teeth on one element, and internal gear teeth meshing with external gear teeth on the other element for transmitting rotary motion from one element to the other, and the intermeshing teeth of said sleeve and one element being spaced axially of the sleeve away from the intermeshing teeth of the sleeve and the other element, said coupling forming a holding chamber for a lubricant for said intermeshing teeth, and a circular sealed Joint between said rotary elements for preventing escape of lubricant from said chamber, which joint is located radially inward from the circles in which the lntermeshing teeth are located.

2. A coupling comprising a rotary driving element and a rotary driven element disposed with their axes of rotation in approximate end to end alignment, one of said elements having on the end facing the other element a tubular hub approximately concentric with its axis of rotation and telescoping over the adjacent end of said oth-.

er element, the end of said hub into which said other element extends having an inwardly extending flange sealed against the adjacent part of said other element to provide an approximately lubricant-tight seal therewith, said hub having internal gear teeth between said flange and its other end, and the portion of said other element within said hub having external gear teeth spaced,

in a direction along the axis of rotation of said hub, from the internal gear teeth or said hub, and a floating coupling sleeve entirely within said hub and surrounding said other element and having external gear teeth meshing with said internal gear teeth of said hub, and also having internal gear teeth meshing with said external gear teeth on said other element, whereby lubricant in said hub will be confined therein in contact with the meshing sets oi gear teeth and held against escape by said seal.

3. The coupling substantially as set forth in claim 2 in which the pitch diameters of both sets of meshing gear teeth are greater than the diameter of the open end of said hub across said seal, whereby some of said lubricant will be held in the chamber of said hub even if said seal should leak.

4. The coupling substantially as set forth in claim 2 in which the external and internal gear teeth on said coupling sleeve have approximately 20 the same pitch diameter.

PAUL A. MANGER. 

